The 8 Best small Microphone preamps (2023 reviews)

The triton audio small microphone preamp is specially designed for your daily purpose and has plenty of most useful features. The Fethead is just a simple inline pre to give you around a. While it's a great sounding dynamic mic for vocal work, it has one big drawback. This model requires phantom power to boost the dynamic mic output. It provides enough extra quiet gain to allow the preamp to silently "loaf" at a much reduced setting while cranking out a strong, clean signal.

This unit does pass phantom power through so your Rode Condenser mic will get power. It will only work with dynamic mics and does need phantom power to work properly. The Fethead is an amazing purchase if you need the extra boost in gains without sacrificing too much in terms of audio quality.

Why We Like This:

Must have for acoustic only instrument with dynamic mic
60 db of gain required by the sm7b can introduce unwanted noise
New and hot release

Best For podcast: DBX small Microphone Preamp

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The dbx small microphone preamp should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. It is designed to be used with one microphone (or instrument) source connected directly to it. It allows you to make the voice sound very natural. It is electronically very accurate, allowing for seamless butt-end edits without the need for cross-fading. The detented pots make it easy to adjust repeat setups and closely match 2 mono units.

It does a great job enhancing a voice and minimizing the room noises. The effects are very user friendly and easy to set up for any voice. The build quality is good, the controls are postive and accurately labeled, and the options it offers make it very flexible.

Why We Like This:

Adds a high pitch static noise
Really brings the quality of the vocal up a few notches
Great product for recording rap vocals

Best For home Studio: ART small Microphone Preamp

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Not everyone likes to purchase preamp for their regular usage, but the art small microphone preamp would be an anomoly. If you are looking to boost your mic input before going into your audio interface this is a good choice. It does a great job and has a very clean noise floor. It can be used for Microphones or Guitar Amps as it comes with 2 XLR jacks 1 in and 1 out as well as 2 1/4" jacks 1 in and 1 out. The center rotary switch allows you to dial in the tone you would like in a manner similar to an equalizer but with that sound only a tube can give the voice or instruments for you musicians out there.

The sound quality is great and it's really solid. This is a great tool for making your mic “funny” turning gain all the way up peaking the mic making your words very inaudible.

Why We Like This:

Great product for those who requires amplify a dynamic mic
Great for turning mic volume up and down
Great sound quality and good craftsmanship

Best With reverb: Presonus small Microphone Preamp

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Presonus line of preamp come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. It provides a wide range of sounds. It's presence is quite noticeable when using the Rode dynamic mike. The adapter reduces it to 12 Volts that this preamp runs by. It has instrument inputs on the back and back. It has to crank it up so loud to hear any difference that the amp sounds really noisy.

The unit is half rack space in size, but has no rack ears. It's a nice sounding unit. It comes with two combo mic/instrument inputs, the half-rackspace blue tube dp is a great choice for guitars and basses as well as vocals.

Why We Like This:

Added in the t-12ax7-s vacuum tube for a slightly warmer sound
Dual path, with both 12ax7 vacuum tube and solid-state gain stages
A warm sound while practicing guitar whilst listening through headphones

Best With XLR Output: Donner small Microphone Preamp

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Best part: donner small microphone preamp costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. This dynamic mic preamp is designed with a safe lock to prevent equipment damage caused by accidental unplugging. In terms of sound quality, it delivers a significant boost in gain without introducing any unwanted noise or distortion, resulting in a clean, professional sound. This is especially useful for recording podcasts or streaming sessions where background noise can be a distraction. Its noise reduction capability, ease of use, durable construction, and excellent sound quality make it a reliable and high-performing option for those seeking to elevate their recording and streaming setup.

One of the standout features of this preamp is its impressive noise-reduction capability. It is made well, sturdy with good plugs and cables that seat nicely. The ease of use is also a big plus, with a simple plug-and-play design that doesn't require any complicated setup or configuration, so it is incredibly user-friendly.

Why We Like This:

Nice clean gain with absolutely zero hiss
Provides additional signal boost for dynamic mics when your pre-amp isn't powerful enough
A compact and affordable microphone booster
Great for dynamic non phantom mics

Best With Condenser Mic: Rodyweil small Microphone Preamp

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Compared with other preamp in this category, the rodyweil small microphone preamp has a convenient design. It is perfect for home studios and professional studios, vocal recording, podcasting, and live streaming. It has two-channel inputs, allowing you to boost one condenser mic and one dynamic mic at the same time. Both of those two mic pre are all great, tiny noise, sounds clean, and this mic pre is adjustable, better for home studio recording and podcasting. It has an XLR balanced output that can be connected to an audio interface or other professional audio devices. It is easy to carry and store.

You can use this microphone preamp for a wireless microphone, and better for a wireless mic with an XLR output. This provides a nice quiet gain for your dynamic. It is great for beginners and a great value for your money.

Why We Like This:

Very nice useful entry level preamp with phantom power
Amazing budget microphone for beginner streamers or gamers
Includes decent basic instructions, and a proper power supply
Well built, solid, look forward to really putting it thru its paces

Best For broadcasting: RME small Microphone Preamp

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The rme small microphone preamp's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. It is designed for broadcasting, live recording, and professional studios, the rme 12mic is a twelve-channel remote controllable microphone preamplifier with no-compromise a/d conversion, integrated avb, and madi connectivity. It is configured locally on the small tft display screen with a group of buttons to control functions such as phantom power, input source connection, polarity, and channel grouping. It provides independent or redundant operation for maximum flexibility.

Devices with AVB can also be remotely controlled via a web interface on any network link (including wirelessly over Wi-Fi), allowing for the rapid creation of gain groups, phantom power switching, and routing of signals to headphones for monitoring. It features making it the perfect companion for any multi-room studio facility.

Why We Like This:

New and hot release
Good investment for long term

Best For Live Sound: Veeleiz small Microphone Preamp

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The Veeleiz mic preamp is a powerful tool for anyone who wants to take their audio recording to the next level. Whether you're a musician, podcaster, journalist or vlogger, the Veeleiz xlr preamp can help you achieve a professional sound that rivals the quality of top broadcasting networks like npr. The aluminum housing not only helps protect the preamp from environmental noise but also provides physical protection against accidental drops or impacts, so you can confidently drop that mic.

These are specifically engineered for demanding audio scenarios, and the components of this microphone preamp, minimize interference. Whether in a professional recording studio or out in the field, the veeleiz preamp can be easily swiped out from your boom arm in seconds, making it much easier to move around and adjust your setup as needed. It is perfect for use in demanding audio scenarios where clarity and quality are essential.

Why We Like This: